Pawnee Harvest Festival
by GreenLily474
Summary: As a contributor to the Li'l Sebastian newsletter, Dustin learns that the horse that does being a mini horse better than anyone else in the world is appearing at the Pawnee Harvest Festival in the fall of 2010. He insists that the party member all take their children to see the amazing horse that he had adored so much since he was a kid.


October 2010

Will's phone started vibrating as he was giving his infant daughter Zelda a bottle. He looked over to see his phone ringing (it was on silent). It was Dustin calling. Will reached over and put the phone on speaker.

"Hey, Dustin, what's up?"

"Is Mike with you, he isn't answering his phone?"

"He's in a meeting. Why? Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine, great actually. I've got some amazing news. Are you sitting down?"

"Yes, I'm giving Zelda a bottle."

"Maybe you should set her down for this. What I have to tell you is the most amazing news ever!"

"I'm sure I can handle it," said Will. "Tell me."

"We're going to have a party reunion next week," said Dustin.

"We are? Where?" asked Will.

"The Pawnee Harvest Festival!"

"I heard they're bringing that back," said Will. "We kinda had fun there as kids, but why would we want to go there now?"

"Because Li'l Sebastian will be there. I just got the fan club email."

"That is pretty cool," said Will. "But isn't he super old now?"

"That's why it's so important we see him. It could be the last time," said Dustin. "I want to see him with my closest friends. Don't you want your kids to see him?"

"Yeah, I guess," said Will.

"Great, I'll see you next week," said Dustin. "This is going to be great. Cathy and I lost out virginity to each other when they did the debut of Li'l Sebastian's first foals, you know."

"Okay, gross! I really didn't need to know that, Dustin," said Will.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What's he doing, Daddy?" Debbie asked Dustin as the group watched Ken Hotate apparently perform some sort Wamapoke smoke ceremony.

"Oh, the people think this festival was cursed because the generator went out last night. I bet he's talking about how he's not saying anything. I think people in Pawnee are even more paranoid than people in Hawkins."

"Okay, they're opening, let's get a good spot," said Cathy.

"Save a spot for me, I'll be right there," said Dustin.

The Party members, their wives and children all managed to get a spot at the front of the crowd. "Li'l Sebastian is one of the few things I miss about this region," said Lucas.

"Same here," said Mike.

"I'm so glad you guys get to see Piper, Pepper, Peanut, Percy, Penny, Pippin, and Pickle's grand sire in person," said Cathy to her seven kids.

Dustin returned with a stack of tee shirts and started to hand them to everyone. "Alright, party members and junior party members, put these on and show some respect. Here, Will. I got a onesie for Zelda." The shirts all read: I met Li'l Sebastian at the Pawnee Harvest Festival.

Will took Zelda out of the baby carrier that he had strapped to himself and handed her to Julie so they could put the onesie on her. Within a couple minutes, the eight adults and seventeen children were all wearing Li'l Sebastian tee shirts.

"We look so awesome," said Dustin. "I'm glad we're all here together, this means so much."

Mikey and Bill saw a man taking to a couple people with a camera and decided to go and see what he was saying.

"I don't get it..at all. It's kinda a small horse. I mean, what am I missing." The camera crew stopped recording and walked away. Bill and Mikey walked up to him.

"Was that the news or something?" Mikey asked the man. He turned and looked at the two eleven year old boys.

"Oh, no, it's just a documentary crew. They're following the Pawnee Parks department."

"Really? When can we see it?" asked Bill.

"I'm not sure. They've been recording for almost two years. Hey, where are your parents?"

"Over there," said Bill. "Don't worry, my Mom can always find us. She has pow-" Mikey elbowed him. "-she has like a powerful sixth sense."

"Oh. Well, my name's Ben Wyatt, and I'm going to just take you back over to your parents so they don't worry and you don't miss it if Li'l Sebastian winnies again."

Ben walked the boys over to where their parents stood with a large group. Mike noticed first. He was holding his six year old daughter, Lydia's hand while trying to keep an eye on his eight year old twins Gage and Josephine (Jo). In addition to holding his infant daughter, Will was also keeping an eye on his own eight year old daughter Veronica. "Hey, did you two wander off again? Were you bothering this nice man?"

"They were no bother at all," said Ben. "They were just asking questions."

"Well, thanks for bringing them back," said El. "They take after their fathers," she added pointedly to Mike and Will.

"Like their mothers are any better," said Will as he nodded at El and nudged Julie playfully. "Hey, aren't you one of the organizers for this event?"

"I mostly did the numbers. It was really Leslie Knope who did the work," said Ben.

"Oh, well great job," said Will. "We used to come to this festival all the time when we were kids. It nice that it's been brought back."

"Oh, are you from Pawnee?"

"Hawkins, actually," said Mike.

"Oh yeah, I just did some budget management work for them last year," said Ben.

"They probably needed a lot of help," said Mike.

"I heard they're doing better," said Will. "You must be some sort of genius, Ben."

"So you aren't living in Hawkins anymore?" asked Ben.

"No, we all left after school," said Mike. "We all came her so see Li'l Sebastian. Our friend Dustin over there is a huge fan. He even bought seven of Li'l Sebastian's grand children so each of his kids could have one."

"Dustin?" said Leslie Knope as she came over. "Dustin-freaking Henderson? He's here?"

"Yeah, He's standing right over there," said Will as he pointed to where Dustin stood with his family.

"Holy mother of Sasha and Malia! Ben! It's Dustin Henderson!"

"Okay, who's he?" asked Ben.

"He's a major contributor to the Li'l Sebastian news letter. He owns seven of his grand children."

Ben smiled and did his best not to sound sarcastic. He thought the group of Hawkins natives seemed nice enough. "Wow, that's really great!"

Leslie was about to call out to Dustin when she noticed Will standing near her. "No way! You're Will Byers!"

"Will Byers," Ben muttered. "Why does that name sound familiar?" His eyes widened and he snapped his fingers. "You make all those video games and comics. I love your work. Zombie Boy is my favorite character to play. Then you must be Mike Wheeler."

"Guilty," said Mike as he held out his hand. Ben shook it enthusiastically.

"Oh, I'm talking about something much better than comics or video games. Will Byers is Southern Indiana's own Harry Potter."

"Really?" asked Ben. "How so?"

"Harry Potter is the Boy Who Lived and Will Byers is the Boy Who Came Back to Life," said Leslie. "He disappeared in 1983 and a government lab faked his death. It's all in the regional section of that pamphlet I typed up from memory on the history of Pawnee for the time capsule."

"Yeah, I really don't like to talk about that," said Will. "Or even think about it."

"You're a part of the history of this area," said Leslie. "Be proud."

"It sounds like he wants some privacy," said Ron Swanson as he walked over. "And if the government kidnapped him and faked his death, it is further proof that the government is a huge scam that should not exist."

"Hey, I remember you," said El to Ron. "You bought my dad's cabin!"

"It is possible," said Ron. "But I try to not get to know or remember anyone."

"Ron!" said Dustin as he came over. "Hey, how's it going?"

"I normally do not answer that question, Dustin, but since I respect the work you've been doing on the Li'l Sebastian newsletter, I will tell you: I am fine."

"Isn't this guy your old pen pal?" asked Lucas.

"You had a pen pal, Ron?" asked Leslie.

"That information is private," said Ron. "But there was a time when kids wrote letters on paper with pens like men."

"Hey, you're Lucas Sinclair," said Leslie to Lucas. "And you must be his wife, Max! I love the work you've done for girls skateboarding. And Lucas, here has done some great work at NASA."

"Thanks," said Lucas. "How do you know who we are?"

"Oh, I keep up with people from the region," said Leslie. "Unless they're rich, snobby jerks from Eagleton. Eagletonians suck."

"You won't get any arguments from us," said Dustin.

"Anyway, I was just telling Ben here about how Will is basically the Harry Potter of Southern Indiana," said Leslie.

"Thanks," said Will. "I love Harry Potter as much as the next person, but I think that's a bit of a stretch."

"Not that much of a stretch," said Dustin. "After all,you were the wizard of the party and there was that whole thing with the Mind Flayer-" Lucas stomped on Dustin's foot."

"Mind Flayer?" said Ben. "Like D&D."

"Yeah, totally," said Will. "We played a lot as kids and still play sometimes when we get together."

"You guys played D&D? No way! Me too!" said Ben.

"Awesome!" said Mike. "Did you ever feel like guys like us were born 15-20 years too early. I mean, nerd culture is mainstream now."

"I know, right!" said Ben.

"Dude, ask Will what he and his wife named their baby," said Dustin.

"Okay, what did you and your wife name your baby?" asked Ben.

"This little one is Zelda," said Will as he held up his infant. "We've been playing since it first came out."

El tapped Leslie her shoulder while Ben talked to the male party members about board games and Ron went back to wave at Li'l Sebastian as he didn't care what Will named his baby.

"Hey, Leslie, I noticed you checking out Ben's butt. Do you like him?" asked El.

"Checking out his butt? What? No! That's preposterous!" said Leslie. "He has a cute butt, and all, but... shut up!"

"That confirms my suspicions," said El.

"You confirmed your suspicions!" said Leslie.

El rolled her eyes. "You should ask him out."

"You should ask him out," said Leslie defensively.

"I'm taken," said El as she pointed at her wedding ring.

"How did you know your husband was the right guy?" asked Leslie.

"He brought me waffles," said El.

"No way! Mine too!" said Leslie with a smile.

"Ben brought you waffles?" asked El.

"What! No! I mean, I had the flu. He was just being nice. I have to go, the cotton candy machines are low on cotton," said Leslie before she darted through the crowd.

Mommy, Daddy! What's that under Li'l Sebastian?"Lucas and Max's daughter Sandra asked them.

"Oh boy," said Will as he supported Zelda's head with one hand and covered Veronica's eyes with the other.

"Turn away from a minute, kids," said Dustin.

"Good lord," said Mike. "Who put a blanket on him that said 'Snake Hole?'"

"Why is everyone taking pictures?" asked Ben.


End file.
